Rory McIlroy Announces Deal With Nike Golf - The New York Times The New York Times Golf |McIlroy’s Well-Remunerated Risk Search Continue reading the main story Rory McIlroy’s rocket ride to immortality publicly entered its second phase Monday with the official announcement of his sponsorship with Nike , whose equipment and apparel he will exhibit starting this week at his 2013 debut beside Tiger Woods , Nike’s first golfing icon, in the United Arab Emirates. To reach the next stratosphere of stardom, McIlroy, 23, of Northern Ireland, had to separate from Titleist, the club and ball manufacturer that got him started, and ride the global marketing might of Nike, which, he said in a news conference, “has always been associated with the best athletes in the world.” McIlroy, the world No. 1 and the only active golfer younger than 40 other than Woods to have at least two major titles, joins a constellation of sports superstars representing the swoosh label that includes Woods, the tennis player Roger Federer and the Miami Heat’s LeBron James. “It’s a proud moment for me, and something I’ve been looking forward to,” McIlroy said.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the contract is reported to be worth as much as $100 million over five years to $250 million over 10 years provided McIlroy reaches a long list of incentives. Although the money is mind-boggling, McIlroy suggested that his motivation was less about building his bank account than his brand when he said: “It’s a company and a brand that really resonates with me. It’s young. It’s athletic. It’s innovative. They are committed to being the best, as am I. Signing with Nike is another step towards living out my dream.” Advertisement Continue reading the main story The path of golfers who have cashed in on their success by changing equipment is well-traveled and includes Phil Mickelson, who moved to Callaway from Titleist in the wake of his victory at the 2004 Masters, and McIlroy’s countryman Graeme McDowell, who jumped to Cleveland and Srixon from Callaway after winning the 2010 United States Open . Mickelson won four times on tour in 2005. The adjustment is not always so seamless.

It took McDowell nearly two years to record his first victory with his new clubs. Golf being equal parts mechanical and mental, it is impossible to predict how a new club will affect a player’s swing or scores. Photo Rory McIlroy and Nike Golf’s president, Cindy Davis, announcing his deal to use Nike equipment. Credit Manuel Salazar/Associated Press Change always carries risk, but McDowell has little reason to fret for McIlroy. “I think 20 years ago, it would have been a monster move and perhaps a mistake,” McDowell said last month. “I think as we sit here, there’s about 6, 8, 10 golf manufacturers on the planet that are making incredibly good equipment, and I don’t think there’s such a thing as inferior equipment nowadays.” McIlroy, who had four PGA Tour victories in 2012, including his second major, said he had thoroughly tested the Nike equipment and was buoyed by the results. “I’m getting more distance out of the driver and the ball,” he said.

“I’m comfortable with the irons.” He added, “I’m excited to put the clubs in play.” McIlroy and Woods have forged a friendship, but McIlroy insisted he was not influenced by Woods. “I didn’t speak about it to Tiger,” he said, adding, “We didn’t talk about it at all until after it was all done.” Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up Privacy Policy Of course, after it was all done, they filmed a commercial in which they try to one-up each other. The spot, which will start appearing this week, calls to mind a McDonald’s commercial in the 1990s featuring Michael Jordan and Larry Bird engaged in a game of Horse. Asked last month about equipment changes during his tournament last month at Sherwood Country Club, Woods said it could take anywhere from a few weeks to more than a year to become comfortable with new equipment. “It’s worth it in the end if you get it right, and over the course of my career, I haven’t put anything in my bag unless I knew it was already better,” Woods said.

“But that’s just because of all the testing I’ve done prior to that.” He added: “Forget what it does on the range, or it’s important what it does on the range, but what is it going to do on the back nine on Sunday? Is this equipment, in general, is this going to help me win golf tournaments?” After winning last year’s P.G.A. Championship by eight shots, McIlroy could be forgiven for feeling as if he could put persimmon woods in his bag and win. Only time will tell whether McIlroy’s gamble rockets him to the next level or fizzles. A version of this article appears in print on January 15, 2013, on Page B12 of the New York edition with the headline: Top-Ranked McIlroy Assumes Well-Remunerated Risk. Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe Tiger Woods close to signing new deal to remain with Nike comment DUBLIN, Ohio -- Tiger Woods is close to signing a new deal with his longtime equipment and apparel sponsor Nike that will "emphatically" keep him as golf's top-paid endorser, according to his agent, Mark Steinberg.

Woods' current contract, signed in 2006, is set to expire sometime before the end of the year. But Steinberg told ESPN.com "we're down to the very, very short strokes right now … I would expect we would come out with some sort of joint announcement when we get the paperwork signed. I hope this is viewed as a pretty bold statement." Tiger Woods has been with Nike since turning pro in 1996. He seems ready to remain. AP Photo/John Raoux Woods, who said he knows "all that goes on, every working part," of the contract negotiations, expects to sign the new deal perhaps as soon as the June 13-16 U.S. Open is complete. "[The document's] just got to get in front of me," Woods said Sunday after finishing in a tie for 65th at the Memorial Tournament. "Just a matter of time." With Woods a potential free agent in the equipment market, there existed the possibility that after 17 years he could move on to another company and forgo the Swoosh. "There's always opportunities out there, and you have to look at all sides of what could happen," Woods said.

But Steinberg said that never became a serious possibility. Nike has been Woods' biggest and most loyal endorser since he turned professional in 1996, launching their partnership with a five-year deal for a reported $40 million. Various industry reports had his compensation at $100 million over five years starting in 2001. Steinberg has represented Woods since 1998 and has been involved in all of his endorsement deals since. At the time, he worked for International Management Group (IMG) but is now a partner with Excel Sports Management. Woods joined him there in 2011. Steinberg would not discuss financial terms or length, saying only that the new deal is for multiple years and that "Tiger started his professional career with Nike in 1996. He has a long way to go in his career, but I feel with the type of deal we've constructed … I feel confident that he will be with Nike for his entire career." Nike declined to comment. Earlier this year, Golf Digest, as part of an annual report on golfers' incomes, put Woods' earnings at $77 million off the course in 2012.

It did not break down what he received from Nike, although the figure is believed to be more than $20 million per year. Sports Illustrated, however, as part of a recent compilation called "The Fortunate 50," pegged his total compensation at closer to $40 million annually. Woods also has endorsement deals with Rolex, Fuse, EA Sports, NetJets and Kowa, a Japanese company. Steinberg would not confirm the specifics of those reports, saying only that "those numbers are traditionally low." He also would not discuss whether Woods took a pay cut from Nike in the aftermath of his admitted 2009 marital issues that cost him endorsements with Gillette, Accenture, AT&T and Gatorade. But Woods, 37, has rebounded from those troubles. After going more than two years without a victory on the PGA Tour, he has won seven times in the past 15 months, including four times this year as he heads to the U.S. Open at Merion. After dropping to No. 58 in the world in 2011 -- his lowest point since just after becoming a pro in 1996 -- he is firmly back atop the world golf rankings.

Woods has 78 PGA Tour titles, putting him just four behind the record held by Sam Snead . With 14 major championships, he trails Jack Nicklaus by four. "We're very happy," Woods said. "This starts from the top down, from the years with signing with [Nike founder] Phil [Knight]. And building that relationship. Obviously Nike Golf has grown over the years. It's been fun being part of that and we get to continue that for X number of years now." And Nike has begun to feature him prominently again, including a spot earlier this year with new endorser Rory McIlroy , who signed a lucrative deal in January believed to be in the $10-12 million range per year. "This process went as such where I never had to get out in the market to test the waters in a formal way," Steinberg said.

"That's a good thing, because I think some of the most memorable moments throughout Tiger's career to date are linked with Nike." Steinberg mentioned the 2005 Masters shot, in which Woods' ball lingered at the edge of the 16th hole -- swoosh visible -- before falling in, and Woods' famous commercial in which he bounced a ball off his wedge. Although Woods signed with Nike upon turning pro in 1996 and wore the company's apparel, he used none of the company's golf products until putting a Nike ball in play in 2000 -- the year he won three majors. He added the driver and irons in 2002, wedges in 2003, fairway woods in 2005 and finally the putter in 2010. Woods has always been meticulous about adding new Nike equipment -- he has yet to go to the company's newly released Covert driver -- and has frequently worked with Nike to test and tweak new products.

"I'm excited about what the future holds," Woods said, "and very excited to be with Nike." Rory McIlroy Net Worth: How a Lawsuit Killed It - Money Nation Rory McIlroy Net Worth: How a Lawsuit Killed It Tom Gerencer Jul 1, 2016 The Rory McIlroy net worth figure of $63.7 million would be closer to $103 million if the golfer didn’t bleed money thanks to high taxes and a big lawsuit. First, through no fault of McIlroy’s, his Ireland tax rate of 52% is a full third bigger than the tax rate paid by Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth. Woods lives in Florida and Spieth lives in Texas, which means their lack of state income tax gives them a huge financial break. Second, McIlroy settled a 2015 lawsuit for $20 million. Between the two, the Rory McIlroy net worth total is about half what it could be, despite career earnings of $209 million from PGA Tours, European golf tours and several fat endorsement deals outlined below.

Rory McIlroy Net Worth Facts Rory McIlroy Net Worth Facts Rory McIlroy net worth Rory McIlroy net worth vs Jordan Spieth net worth 31% smaller Rory McIlroy net worth vs Tiger Woods net worth 1/16th as big Rory McIlroy net worth vs Lydia Ko net worth 7 times bigger Rory McIlroy net worth vs Phil Mickelson net worth 1/4th as big Rory McIlroy net worth vs Arnold Palmer net worth 1/13th as big Rory McIlroy net worth vs Brooke Henderson net worth 61 times bigger Rory McIlroy net worth vs LeBron James net worth 1/4th as big Rory McIlroy net worth vs Hillary Clinton net worth Twice as big Rory McIlroy net worth vs typical American family net worth 780 times bigger Even with a major lawsuit settlement whittling away at the Rory McIlroy net worth fortune, it still stacks up fairly well. Jordan Spieth’s net worth of $77.4 million is only 31% bigger than Rory McIlroy’s net worth, which is seven times bigger than golf phenom Lydia Ko’s net worth of $8 million .

Tiger Woods has 16 times the net worth of Rory McIlroy with $825 million . Phil Mickelson has four times more with $180 million. That’s not such a bad deficit for a golfer who’s only 27 years old. Golf legend Arnold Palmer’s net worth is $675 million. That’s 13 times bigger than Rory McIlroy’s net worth. McIlroy has 61 times more money than 18 year old female golf sensation Brooke Henderson at $876,000 . NBA superstar LeBron James has four times McIlroy’s fortune with $223 million . Will McIlroy catch up in the four years until he reaches James’ age? That depends on endorsements but it’s not beyond the possible, since some golfers get $50 million a year from their sponsors.

Rory McIlroy Net Worth Timeline Rory McIlroy Net Worth by Year Rory McIlroy net worth 2007 $100,644 Rory McIlroy net worth 2016 $63,749,874 The big dip in the Rory McIlroy net worth graph above comes from his 2015 lawsuit settlement with Horizon Sports Management. Until that time, McIlroy’s wealth had grown exponentially from a mix of golf winnings and endorsements. McIlroy started earning money from the European Tour in 2007, but it wasn’t until 2009 that he broke into the PGA. That year, he made $849,000 from the PGA Tour and a stunning $3.97 million from the European Tour, making millionaire status for the first time in his life. By then he was pulling in an estimated $1 million a year from endorsement deals, the biggest of these with Titleist. From there, the winnings and the endorsement deals began to pile up, hampered only by a 52% tax bill from the Emerald Isle.

Even the $20 million lawsuit payout is not much more than a king sized speed bump as McIlroy’s earnings continue to add up. Related: Tiger Woods Net Worth: Why It’s Not a Billion Yet Rory McIlroy Net Worth Sources: Golf and Endorsements McIlroy, like other top pro golfers, builds his net worth from two sources: endorsements and golf. As with other golfers, endorsements kick in more than half the Rory McIlroy net worth total. The PGA star has earned an estimated $146.5 million from deals with Nike, Titleist and several other heavy hitters. Meanwhile, he’s taken $30.6 million from the PGA Tour and $32 million from the European Tour since 2007. That’s a total of $209 million in earnings. That gives McIlroy an average salary of $21 million and a 2016 salary of $39.7 million. The table below shows how taxes, expenses and a lawsuit settlement chop that money down to the $63,749,874 Rory McIlroy net worth number above.

Rory McIlroy Net Worth Sources Golf Prize Money $63,749,874 Rory McIlroy Net Worth from Golf Golf pumps $62.8 million into the Rory McIlroy net worth sum. The table below shows McIlroy’s winnings from both the PGA Tour and the European Tour. McIlroy was born in Northern Ireland in 1989 and turned pro in 2007 at the age of 18. He has since won 13 tournaments on the European Tour and 11 on the PGA tour, plus three other tournaments in other tours around the world. He won the U.S. Open in 2011, making $1.44 million for the first place finish. His PGA Championship win in 2012 paid off $1,445,000 and cemented his position as the top PGA money winner that year. McIlroy also took that honor in 2014, when he won the PGA Championship again and the Open Championship. He also came in fourth in the Masters Tournament in 2015, making $480,000 for that placement.

Rory McIlroy Net Worth from Golf Prize Money Year Related: How Much Money Do Pro Golfers Make ? Rory McIlroy Net Worth from Endorsements Despite the star’s impressive golf winnings, it’s $146,524,000 in estimated endorsement deal money that makes the Rory McIlroy net worth figure what it is. A recent MoneyNation analysis turned up deals with nine major companies. While exact dollar figures aren’t made public, it’s not hard to zero in on the numbers in those deals through comparisons to other known agreements. McIlroy’s biggest deal by far is almost certainly with Nike. Figures for that deal were initially estimated by many online sources at $200 million. That makes great, clickable headlines but more recent estimates of $100 million are a lot more realistic, and may in fact be backed up by more recent court documents . Other contracts with Bose, Omega, Oakley, EA Sports, Titleist, Audemars Piguet, Santander and Jumeirah Group also kick in to the Rory McIlroy net worth figures. Most of those deals span several years. We figured estimates for each deal by year and added them into our total earnings model below.

Rory McIlroy Net Worth from Endorsements Year $146,524,000 The $20,000,000 Lawsuit Settlement $20 million for a lawsuit settlement in February of 2015 comes directly from the Rory McIlroy net worth math. The exact figure wasn’t published, but most media outlets settled on the $20 million figure. Reportedly, McIlroy had signed a contract with Horizon Sports Management to handle his endorsement deals. Horizon inked the player’s $100 million deal with Nike. McIlroy had said in the suit that he didn’t like the 5% chunk of his winnings Horizon gobbled up, along with other fees and percentages. When he broke their contract to set up his own endorsement company, Horizon sued and McIlroy eventually settled. Rory McIlroy Net Worth Calculations If earnings were the only number that figured into the Rory McIlroy net worth story, the golfer would have a lot more money. However, $209 million in total earnings from golf winnings and endorsement deals is decreased by taxes and expenses and pumped up a bit by investments income.

The table below shows McIlroy’s total earnings by year. The adjustments column folds in taxes at 52% of yearly income, plus expenses figured at 15%. Investments at 6% of net worth per year take the bite out of the payouts. Rory McIlroy Net Worth Calculations Year Endore this: These sports stars make big money through endorsements Endore this: These sports stars make big money through endorsements ‹ Aaron Josefczyk | Reuters In modern day sports, eye-popping multi-million contracts are fairly commonplace. What sometimes goes unrealized, however, is that a number of big name sports players make their biggest money off the court or field—namely through lucrative product endorsements. As a result, big contracts with sports organizations are no longer the only way to bring home the bacon. For many athletes, building a brand and public image is an essential step towards earning even bigger paydays with big retail and apparel companies. And make no mistake: A brand endorsement contract is a very big payday indeed. Through endorsement deals, some athletes make almost double what they make in their sports earnings.

After being retired for more than a decade—well past his earnings prime as an athlete—basketball great Michael Jordan raked in an estimated $100 million through endorsements in 2015, a testament to how powerful a personal brand can be when it has the backing of a corporate brand. Using estimates from various publications, CNBC looks at the endorsement earnings of a handful of marquee sports figures at the top of their game, both in sports and money. Roger Federer Getty Images Ever since winning his first singles Grand Slam tournament in 2003, tennis legend Roger Federer has been perfect on both on and off the court. The 17 time Grand Slam singles champion is regarded to as the greatest tennis player of all time and that has translated into big endorsement dollars. It has been four years since Federer won his last Grand Slam, but he is still one of the most highly paid athletes in the world: The Daily Mail recently estimated the Swiss star earns about $58 million in agreements with Wilson, Nike, Rolex and Mercedes Benz, among others. Lebron James Ezra Shaw | Getty Images Deciding to skip college and enter the NBA draft proved to be a lucrative financial decision for the Akron Ohio native.

At the age of 18 years old, James inked a colossal $90 million eight year deal with Nike —a deal GQ recently suggested may be worth more than $1 billion as part of a lifetime deal the company inked with James. Now 31, the four-time NBA MVP and recent MBA champion has a net worth estimated to be over $300 million. That figure is likely to grow now that he's opted out of his current contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers , en route to either another team—or an even bigger payday with the Cavaliers. Phil Mickelson Getty Images Not having won a major golf tournament in about 3 years hasn't done much to dent Phil Mickelson's earnings power. Mickelson is currently the PGA's highest paid golfer and is making a whopping $50 million a year from endorsements , according to Money Nation. "Lefty" has more than five sponsorships that vary from diverse brands like KPMG, Barclays, Rolex and Amgen. Tiger Woods Jasred C. Tilton | Getty Images No longer ranked among the world's elite golfers, Tiger Woods is still collecting endorsement money that keeps him among the world's highest paid professional athletes.

At the age of 19, Woods accepted a five year, $40 million deal with sports juggernaut Nike, and the two parties are still working with one another after more than 20 years. Now 40 years old, Wood's career has come to a screeching halt both on the green and in regards to sponsorship. That doesn't mean, however, that he's still not raking in the cash. In 2014, Golf Digest reported that Woods pulled in about $1.3 billion in career earnings, and the publication recently ranked Woods as golf's 3rd best paid athlete with $48.5 million made last year. His most lucrative deals are with Nike and Rolex. Kevin Durant Noah Graham | NBAE | Getty Images After finishing his 9th season in the NBA, Kevin Durant has found his footing in the endorsement world. Durant made a huge splash in 2014 after being elected the NBA MVP with a 10 year, $300 million deal with Nike.

The four time scoring champion currently has over 12 sponsorships, varying from Beats headphones to Sparkling Ice, and recently just came out with his new NIke shoe line, the KD 8 EXT "Floral Finish." Currently the star small forward has more than 12 endorsements and is making $36 million through sponsorships this year. Rory McIlroy Getty Images Only 27 years old, Rory McIlroy has been one of the most dominant golfers in the world. In 2014, Rory was placed in a selective group of only three people to win three majors by 25; the other two golfers are Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. The Northern Irish golfer has signed multiple endorsement deals including ones with Bose and Omega. Rory added onto his list of sponsorships in 2013, when Nike offered the phenom a $200 million, multi-year contract . Just through endorsements the young golfer is currently making more than $37 million per year, Golf Digest estimated recently. Novak Djokovic Mehdi Taamallah | NurPhoto | Getty Images Currently the defending champion in every Grand Slam Single tournament is 29 year old Novak Djokovic.

In 2014 the Serbian became the first player in tennis history to earn $20 million in a single season and jumped into the mix with Roger Federer to become the first tennis player to pass $100 million in earnings without bonuses. After winning a dozen Grand Slam Singles titles, Djokovic has sponsorships with ANZ and Seiko but the majority of the tennis star's sponsorship earnings come from Adidas and Uniqlo—a company with whom he just signed a $50 million extension. › Bryant McInerney, special to CNBC.com Monday, 4 Jul 2016 | 2:00 PM ET The Branding of Rory McIlroy - The New York Times The New York Times Golf |The Branding of Rory McIlroy Search Continue reading the main story Photo In February, Bose introduced Rory McIlroy as a global ambassador. McIlroy also has Nike and the Swiss watchmaker Omega as major sponsors. Credit Peter W. Cross for The New York Times CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It was time for Rory McIlroy to face the television cameras after another well-played round at the Wells Fargo Championship.

Emerging Friday from the scoring area at Quail Hollow, McIlroy reached into his golf bag and slipped on an Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean watch with a blue rubber strap. His game, redolent of crisp iron play and clutch putting, has resurfaced. Winless in his first seven starts of 2013, McIlroy is in contention to lift the champion’s trophy here for the second time in his career, a moment that would bring into sharp focus the tenacity behind his talent and the timepiece on his wrist. McIlroy’s successes off the course this year have dwarfed his accomplishments on it. The Swiss watchmaker Omega is the third major sponsorship, after Nike and Bose, that McIlroy has secured in the last four months. His increased corporate muscle is a byproduct of all his heavy lifting in 2012, when he recorded five victories worldwide and claimed the money titles on the PGA and European Tours. McIlroy, who turned 24 Saturday, is known for his affability, but behind the warm handshake is a cleareyed businessman with a firm vision, one that led him in 2011 to Horizon Sports , a boutique management company based in Dublin.

With Horizon, McIlroy’s goal of building a sports empire on his terms has crystallized. In the 18 months since he signed with Horizon, McIlroy has become the third-highest earner among active golfers, behind Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, both of whom are represented by large multisport agencies. Advertisement Continue reading the main story The small team working for McIlroy has treated connections as the No. 1 currency. For McIlroy, ranked No. 2 behind Woods, managing his relationships and his game is a juggling act that he does not take lightly. At the end of last year, McIlroy sat down with his strength coach, Steve McGregor, who also works with the golfer Lee Westwood and has consulted with the Knicks and Manchester United. Citing scheduling difficulties, McIlroy ended their professional relationship. But to ensure that they would remain friendly, he chose to tell McGregor about his decision face to face instead of in a text message or an e-mail. “What we do for a living out here, it’s all about relationships,” McIlroy said last month at the Texas Open, where he finished second, his best result of the year.

“You build relationships from the start of your career, and you want to try to keep certain relationships until the end. So it’s nice to have sponsors and have partners and whatever, but the nice thing is having a relationship with these people just outside of golf.” McIlroy’s gallery at the Masters included Oliver Hunt, a lawyer who helped hash out the details of a deal with Nike that is said to be worth at least $100 million. Hunt, who was employed by the sports management giant I.M.G. before starting a niche firm several years ago, was a first-time visitor to Augusta National, appearing as McIlroy’s guest. Asked why he had never attended the Masters before, Hunt said simply, “I’d never been invited.” The week of the Masters, McIlroy officially joined Omega, the official timepiece of two worldwide brands: the Olympics and James Bond. “It’s a global brand that can reach out to all corners of the world,” said McIlroy, who joined a group of celebrity ambassadors including George Clooney, Nicole Kidman, Michael Phelps and Greg Norman.

Advertisement Continue reading the main story Before the agreement was announced, McIlroy phoned François-Henry Bennahmias, the chief executive of Audemars Piguet, the watch company with which he had a sponsorship deal through the end of the year. McIlroy said he expressed his gratitude for the association; as a good-will gesture, he agreed to make a scheduled appearance this summer for Audemars Piguet and had it written into his contract with Omega so there was no confusion. For McIlroy, procuring a Masters badge for Hunt and finding a little more time for Audemars Piguet were easy. More difficult was the phone call he made to an Ireland Unicef board member, Tom Hayes, to apologize for canceling a scheduled trip to Haiti with Hayes because McIlroy decided to add a final Masters tune-up tournament, in San Antonio. They are in the process of rescheduling the visit.

“It was tough because golf sometimes is a selfish sport,” McIlroy said, “and sometimes you have to do what’s right for yourself.” It was not immediately clear that McIlroy was doing what was best for him when he left International Sports Management, the global multisport firm headed by Chubby Chandler, four months after his United States Open win in 2011. He entrusted his future to two Irishmen, Conor Ridge and Colin Morrissey, who founded Horizon Sports in 2005. Photo Rory McIlroy, left, and Conor Ridge at the White House in 2012. Ridge is helping to manage McIlroy’s career. Credit Charles Dharapak/Associated Press McIlroy said that one of the reasons he left I.S.M., a Europe-centric company, was that he thought he was being led in the wrong direction. In talking to Ridge, whose motivation was to promote the global brands of homegrown talent while remaining true to his roots, McIlroy believed he had found a kindred spirit. Horizon Sports started with a few Irish golfers, including Colm Moriarty, with whom Ridge had developed a professional relationship while working for Drury Sports Management.

Michael Hoey of Belfast, a mainstay on the European tour, was another early client; he left the company five months after McIlroy’s arrival. In an interview with The Irish Herald, he said, “With Rory now on board and playing more in the States, their management has changed and altered.” Horizon has 10 clients, all golfers, most of whom it works with as a consultant. The exceptions are McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Ross Fisher and Shane Lowry, whose day-to-day affairs are the company’s focus. Of the four, Fisher, a Briton, is the only non-Irishman. Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up Privacy Policy In 2011, Horizon Sports reported a profit of less than $500,000. That trickle will probably become a torrent once the pipeline from McIlroy’s new sponsorship deals begins to flow, but Ridge said he had no plans to expand.

“If we took on anyone new, it would be difficult, given the size of our company, to maintain the same level of personalized attention to the players we have,” he said. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Within the company, Ridge said, he is part of a six-person team that attends to McIlroy, who aspires to become an icon, but not at the expense of his image. “That’s why these guys have to be on their toes,” McIlroy said, adding: “There’s no set way to do it. I think it’s a good thing for me that I’m with a smaller company. They are always looking out for what’s best for me.” McIlroy’s idol when he was growing up was Woods. But brand-wise, he aspires to be like another Nike endorser, the tennis superstar Roger Federer, who has become a symbol of grace and good taste. McIlroy said he discussed the business side of sports with Federer over dinner in December while in Brazil to watch his girlfriend, the tennis star Caroline Wozniacki. Before completing the deal with Omega, McIlroy spoke for 45 minutes with Federer, a 17-time major singles champion.

“He’s a role model, someone I can pattern myself after,” McIlroy said. With Nike and other corporate suitors, Horizon says it is adamant that there will be no marriage unless the branding arrangement reflects the pillars of McIlroy’s personality: authenticity and approachability. On all deals, McIlroy makes the final call. “He’s the boss,” Ridge said. McIlroy, who also represents Santander, a Spanish bank, said, “We get approached by a lot of companies, and we say no to 95 percent of them.” He added: “I don’t want a lot of sponsors. I want a few quality ones.” He cited alcoholic beverages as a partnership he would never agree to. And although he has space on his golf bag for a sponsorship (or a few), McIlroy said he had no room in his schedule to add more endorsement-related activities without cutting into his practice schedule. “I have to remember what got me this far,” he said. Horizon Sports announced recently that McIlroy would continue sponsoring a different children’s charity on his bag each week he competes, auctioning the bag at the tournament’s end and donating the proceeds, a routine he started this year.

Over the past 18 months, the contracts negotiated by Chandler have gradually ended. But his agreement with Oakley, the eyewear and apparel company, lingers like a bad aftertaste. The deal, which was set to expire last Dec. 31, landed McIlroy and Nike in United States District Court in California, with Oakley contending that McIlroy and his team violated the right-of-first-refusal clause in its contract during the negotiations with Nike. Because the lawsuit is pending, Ridge said he could not comment on it. Advertisement Continue reading the main story The actions of McIlroy’s management team invited more scrutiny at the Honda Classic in March, after McIlroy, the defending champion, walked off the course without completing his second round. Before leaving the grounds, he said he was not in a good place mentally. An hour later, Horizon released a statement saying McIlroy was unable to continue because of a sore wisdom tooth. Four days passed before McIlroy reappeared at a news conference to issue an apology and answer questions. “I’m not going to say we handled it perfectly,” Ridge said.

“I’m sure we could have done something better.” Ridge said he sought books and people from different spheres to see what he could learn from them. He picked up the entertainment mogul Jay-Z’s memoir, “Empire State of Mind,” and finished reading it shortly before Jay-Z announced his own sports management company. McIlroy can relate to Jay-Z’s first client, Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, who said he wanted take a more active role in his business affairs and to entrust his future to someone with whom he felt a kinship. “What we’re dealing with and what’s going on in my life now is new to everyone around me,” McIlroy said, “and it’s a learning experience and it’s a learning curve and you learn every day. If we weren’t learning and we weren’t making mistakes, then there would be something wrong.” A version of this article appears in print on May 5, 2013, on Page SP4 of the New York edition with the headline: A Growing Sports Empire, on McIlroy’s Terms. Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe stumbleupon Email Comment Athletes; we all know them, admire them and envy them. We know them because we see their faces almost everywhere.

We admire them because they embody the human spirit of never giving up, even in the face of the greatest odds. We envy them because we know they can make in a year what we can never earn in our lifetime, or even several lifetimes.And it’s not just their pay, sometimes their endorsements alone can make them even more money than their actual salaries. So which athletes are currently earning the biggest bucks outside of their usual pay? 10. Serena Williams (tennis) – $1 million from Wilson One half of the history’s greatest tennis-playing sisters has already signed endorsements with the sports drink Gatorade, Mission Athletecare, the Home Shopping Network and Sheets energy strips. Just this year she signed another endorsement with OPI nails and has invested in the photo App Mobli. One of her most lucrative deals is with Wilson, which, according to Sports Business Journal, paid her between $900,000 and $1 million yearly to endorse their tennis racquets. What’s with all the racquet you say? 9. Venus Williams (tennis) –$40 million from Reebok The other half of history’s greatest tennis-playing sisters already has endorsement deals with American Express, Avon, Jamba Juice and Kraft.

She also signed a $40-million contract with Reebok in 2009. The company has paid her $8 million yearly since then and will continue to do so until the end of this year. 8. Phil Mickelson (golf) –$53 million from endorsers Others swing and miss, but Mickelson doesn’t. Not even when this right hander uses his left hand to swing. Since turning pro he has won four championships and 39 PGA Tour events, and when it comes to endorsements he’s not missing anything either. In 2007 alone he earned almost $53 million and less than $6 million of that came from his salary. The rest were from endorsements including Barclays, ExxonMobil and Rolex. But his biggest endorser is Callaway Golf which supplies his ball, clubs and putters. 7.

Maria Sharapova (tennis) – $70 million from Nike One of the sport’s most recognizable (and prettiest) faces, Maria Sharapova has been a constant favorite of Nike, which renewed a $70-million endorsement contract with her in 2010.She is also a familiar face in Tag Heuer ads and has active endorsement deals with Evian, Homestead Properties and Cole Haan. She also made a deal with Samsung for a three-year sponsorship recently. She has also launched her own line of candy called – believe or not –Sugarpova. 6. LeBron James (basketball) –$90 million from Nike It’s good to be king. And that goes more than double for King James. His biggest deals are with Coca-Cola, MacDonald’s and Nike. Nike began to deal with him as early as 2003 with a seven-year $90-million contract that was extended in 2010. But it was only in 2012 after he had won the NBA championship that the other brands came calling.

Now King James is also the “brand ambassador” for Dunkin Donuts and Baskin-Robbins in China, South Korea, Taiwan and India.As if that was not enough he also has a deal with Samsung, did we forget to mention he also partly owns the Liverpool FC football team? 5. Tiger Woods (golf) – $100 million from Nike Nike took a big gamble with Tiger Wood, signing him to a five-year contract worth $8 million each year even with no victories yet under his belt. But all that rapidly changed after the 1997 Masters and Nike’s gamble paid off, by 2000 he had already won five major tournaments and Nike gave him another deal, $20 million for five years, even though he was not required to use Nike gold clubs in any of his tournaments. Nike was expected to withdraw its endorsement of Woods after his 2009 infidelity scandal after Gillette and Accenture did, but the company decided to stand by him. Obviously,Nike is not out of the Woods yet. 4. George Foreman (boxing) – $137.25 million from Salton, Inc.

It seemed that everybody had counted George Foreman out, that was until he made a successful comeback, two in fact, when he was already in his forties. One was against Evander Holyfield, but while he lost to “The Holy Warrior” on points he was able to take down a much-younger Michael Moorer successfully.Today he no longer throws punches, but rather he throws meat on the grill. And thanks to the “George Foreman Grill” he gets to enjoy his favorite food without all that fat. This promotion was sold to Salton, Inc., now known as Spectrum Brands, and he got $23.5 million in stocks and the rest in five installments of $22.75 million each. 3. David Beckham (football) – $160 million from Adidas Easily one of the most recognizable faces in football, Beckham personified the sport from his Mohawk haircut to his signature ball bending move.But where do we even starts with his achievements? At a very young age he has captained the English team, played for big teams like Manchester United, AC Milan, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy.

He is the first Briton to play in more than 100 Champions League matches, has also won league titles in England, the US and Spain, and has the second highest number of goals for England next to Peter Shilton. Away from the field he has millions of adoring girl fans who love him not for his football skills but for his dashing looks, even though he is married to Posh Spice. So is it a wonder why Adidas wants to sign him up? Not really. Adidas money is estimated to account for a sixth of Beckham’s income. 2. Rory McIlroy (golf) –$200 million (estimated) from Nike During a press event in Abu Dhabi,Nike has recently confirmed signing one of the largest endorsement deals in history with Rory McIlroy.The northern Irishman has already won two Majors and is seen to be a dominant figure in the sport in the years to come. While no amount was stated, speculation was that the deal could be up to $200 million. Nike also refused to say how many years the contract was in place, only that it was a multi-year agreement.

Nike now supplies McIlroy’s with apparel, footwear, head-wear, clubs, balls and other golf accessories. While critics are skeptical on how McIlroy can swiftly transition to Nike gear when he has been using equipment from his previous sponsors Titleist, Oakley and Jumeirah, McIlroy claims his struggle with the adjustment period is over. 1. Derrick Rose (basketball) –$260 million from Adidas Adidas had been watching Rose closely even when he was still in college in the University of Memphis and took a gamble, immediately signing him up when he turned pro. So far their bet seems to be paying off after he became the youngest player to win the MVP award in 2011 at the age of 22. His team, the Chicago Bulls, has also been making it into the playoffs every year since he joined in 2008, so Adidas may be thinking it may only be a matter of time now before he gets a championship. With that they wrote him up for a $260-million deal good for until 2026. 12 Shares Will Rory McIlroy follow Tiger Woods as golf's next Billion-Dollar Man?

| Golf.com Will Rory McIlroy follow Tiger Woods as golf's next Billion-Dollar Man? Photo: Robert Beck/SI McIlroy earned an estimated $15 million through endorsements in 2012. As early as 2000, branding and marketing experts were anointing Tiger Woods the Billion- Dollar Man. He would one day reach a net worth of 10 figures, they predicted, an accomplishment even Michael Jordan hadn't achieved. "The easy answer is that if anybody can [reach $1 billion], it's Tiger," his agent Mark Steinberg said that summer. And it was Tiger. According to Forbes, Woods cracked $1 billion in career earnings in September 2009, shortly before revelations of his extramarital affairs caused most of his sponsors to flee. Three years later, we live in a post-Tiger era of sorts. Woods is neither the game's best player nor its most marketable brand. Rory McIlroy is. He's the personable, fresh-faced anti-Tiger, and he'll pick up where Woods left off, bathing in corporate marketing money, with enough sponsors to make a NASCAR driver blush.

Which raises the tantalizing question: Can McIlroy be golf's next Billion-Dollar Man? (Related Story: Compare Rory's 2012 Tour stats with Tiger's ) There are two ways to commercialize an athlete, says Phil de Picciotto, founder of the sports marketing agency Octagon. "You either sell stardom or the anticipation of stardom," he says. The golf world hopes Rory will be the next Tiger. And hope, as President Obama knows, is a valuable -- if perishable -- commodity. Hope also becomes irresistible in the context of a good story. In a way, McIlroy didn't reach a new level of fame for winning the 2011 U.S. Open. He reached a new level of fame for losing the Masters, then winning the U.S. Open. During the final round of the 2011 Masters, McIlroy's four-shot lead vanished, exposing him in the most painful, naked way. It transcended golf into the realm of drama, letting viewers emotionally connect with him. When he triumphed two months later at Congressional, the opening chapter of his hero's journey was complete.

The logos soon began to jostle for room on McIlroy's duds: Titleist, Oakley, Spain's Banco Santander, and Jumeirah Group of Dubai. This eclectic mix of sponsors reflects McIlroy's global appeal, and they've contributed to a personal wealth of $18-$20 million, up from $11 million last year, according to the Sunday Times of London. (Related Story: Rory's trainer reveals how his client packed on muscle ) The Santander deal was a watershed moment. Most golfers are famous enough to sell clubs and apparel. Only a few are trusted to be the face of a financial-services giant. The background to that deal is revealing: It was negotiated by Andrew "Chubby" Chandler, founder of ISM, who guided McIlroy's early career. In the days following McIlroy's U.S. Open win, Chandler spoke of deals to be done and monetizing McIlroy's breakthrough. Weeks later, Chandler was gone. McIlroy gave his mentor the news after the pair had returned from a lucrative week in China, playing exhibitions for a rumored $5 million.

"Bizarre decision," tweeted ISM stablemate Lee Westwood, but it showed a calculating side to McIlroy that had hitherto only surfaced on the course. The man handed the golden ticket was Conor Ridge, whose Dublin agency, Horizon Sports Management, now oversees the task of building Brand Rory, a job that's more delicate than one might suppose. Job one, says sports marketer de Picciotto, is to create Rory's brand on authenticity. "Brands should never be built with the intention of fooling the audience," he says, alluding to Woods, whose public persona as a family man didn't gibe with his cocktail-waitress fueled weekends in Vegas. "That gap between the brand and the reality created a risk that over time became dramatically exposed. Rory has a brand, but we don't talk about it in terms of the crass commercial way we did about Tiger." "Many endorsers come across as [just being] in it for the paycheck," adds Rich Katz, founder of golf marketing company Buffalo Communications.

"Rory and his Northern Ireland roots don't scream ‘overt commercialism,' and his youthful effervescence makes him an authentic pitchman." McIlroy's fine late-season play in 2012 kick-started the race to quantify his earnings potential, a pastime to which we seem addicted. "Two Billion Dollar Man?" one newspaper wondered. Such talk is encouraged by the longevity of golf careers. Assuming his stellar play continues, "Rory will make $100 million in endorsements over the next 10 years," says Steve Martin of London's M&C Saatchi Sport and Entertainment. Still, it's hard to fathom McIlroy even approaching Tiger-like figures without landing A-list endorsements in the United States. Pre-scandal, Woods attracted blue-chip sponsors such as GM and AT&T. McIlroy's roster lacks heavyweight American brands. Is this because McIlroy is Irish? Or because U.S. companies are now reluctant to invest in a single golfer, preferring the lower-risk route of event or team sponsorship? We'll know more when Ridge negotiates McIlroy's next batch of deals. The Tiger Woods model of endorsement is just one way of selling fame.

Since 1997, Woods has been a highly paid salesman for Nike's golf division, a contract reported to be worth about $20 million a year. Nike has used Tiger's fame to strengthen its own intellectual property: the Swoosh brand. It has worked spectacularly well. Nike Golf reported $623 million in revenue last year. By contrast, Greg Norman, Tiger's predecessor as the most marketable man in golf, chose to create his own Great White Shark brand. Put another way, he wanted to be Nike, not Tiger Woods working for Nike. "As an athlete, you are a pass-through entity," Norman says, recalling his days as a serial endorser with IMG. "Agents were taking commission on an annual basis, and if you had a three-year deal to represent someone, they would take their money, and you knew there would be another Greg Norman down the line. There was. He was Tiger Woods." Such decisions -- endorse Nike or become Nike -- are down the road for the 23-year-old.

For now, McIlroy can sit back and take his pick of commercial partners, having noted the lesson of the last few years, both in golf and beyond: The value of assets can go down as well as up Rory McIlroy settles case with former agents Rory McIlroy settles case with former agents Conor Barrins Pin it Share Rory McIlroy is aiming to become only the sixth golfer in history to win all of golf's four majors -- British Open, US Open, US Masters and US PGA (AFP Photo/Scott Halleran) More Dublin (AFP) - World number one Rory McIlroy was spared a protracted legal battle ahead of the US Masters in April after settling a case with his former management company on Wednesday in a deal understood to be worth in excess of $20 million (£13 million, 17 million euros). McIlroy had been suing Conor Ridge's Horizon Sports Management company, who in turn counter-sued the Northern Irishman over the terms of an agreement he struck with the firm in 2011. After proceedings opened at Dublin's High Court on Tuesday, there were three deferrals as lawyers for both sides held talks.

Negotiating teams stayed late on Tuesday in an attempt to find a solution in a case that threatened to disturb the golfer's preparations for the Masters. In a brief statement issued in court, the two sides confirmed they had reached an agreement. "The legal dispute between Rory McIlroy and Horizon Sports Management has been settled to the satisfaction of both parties who wish each other well for the future," the statement said. "The parties will be making no further comment." The terms of the settlement were not disclosed but a source close to the case indicated the agreement was worth more than $20 million to Horizon. McIlroy was not in court on Wednesday but Ridge did attend, although he made no comment to reporters. The 25-year-old McIlroy's deal with Horizon, renegotiated in 2013, was to last until 2017, with Ridge's company receiving commission on the golfer's financial dealings. McIlroy took action over over £4.2million (5.6 million euros, $6.3million) in fees to Horizon from his earnings on and off the course.

Horizon had argued they had a contract with McIlroy entitling them to a share of his endorsement earnings until 2017. McIlroy terminated his contract with Horizon in September 2013, forming his own company to manage his affairs, Rory McIlroy Inc. He argued the terms of his deal were vastly inferior to those signed by other golfers at Horizon, including fellow countryman and major winner Graeme McDowell. He claimed Horizon charged almost four times what top ten golfers pay to agents. McIlroy was with Horizon when he signed a sponsorship deal with equipment manufacturers Nike in early 2013, by itself said to be worth $100 million over five years, and also signed other high-worth deals. Despite the looming court case, McIlroy won last weekend's Dubai Desert Classic and, if he maintains his form, is set to continue to enjoy a hugely lucrative career on and off the course. McIlroy just needs to win the Masters to become only the sixth golfer in history, and the first from the British Isles, to win all of golf's four majors -- British Open, US Open, US Masters and US PGA.

If McIlroy, the reigning British Open and US PGA champion, dons the Green Jacket at Augusta National he will join the American quartet of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, and South Africa's Gary Player as the only golfers to have completed a career grand slam. Reblog

Question: Golfer Rory Mcllroy has a contract endorsement for 10 years reputedly worth $100 million from which company?
Answer: Nike